The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) is going to carry out drug tests among its officials and students of universities and English-medium schools and colleges from this month to prevent drug abuse. Even government officials and employees will be included, if necessary, sources in the DNC and the home ministry said. The DNC director, Nazmul Ahsan Majumder, told The Independent that the department is going to start drug test on its nearly 1,000 officials and employees by this month.
“We will ask our employees to come to the Central Treatment Centre of the DNC for the test,” he said, adding: “If found positive, action will be taken against the person/persons.”
“As per the decision of a meeting of the home ministry, we will start drug test on students of public and private universities and principals of English-medium schools and colleges from this month to identify drug addicts,” he said.
He said DNC officials will carry kits to educational institutions for instant drug test among students.
“We will take the help of heads of institutions before carrying out tests,” the official said.
There has been a marked increase in Yaba addiction among students of high schools, colleges and universities. However, given the high cost of these pills, only students from the affluent section of society can afford them, particularly those who study in English-medium private schools and private universities, the official said.
The additional secretary of the home ministry, Mainuddin Khandaker, told this correspondent that they will hold a meeting with Vice-Chancellors of public and private universities and principals of English-medium schools and colleges for launching awareness programmes to protect youths from the lure of drugs.
“We may ask heads of educational institutions to carry out drug tests on students, making it mandatory, if required,” he said.
“Most of the parents are running after money and their children are wedded to drugs. The parents have to guide their children to check drug addiction,” he said.
He also said that under this programme, surveillances would be conducted to check drug trafficking and agencies concerned have been asked to ensure that drugs do not enter through border points.
Sources said most restaurants in the Gulshan, Dhanmondi and Banani areas of the capital are openly selling alcohol and different types of drugs. They are paying hefty amounts to members of law enforcement agencies and the narcotics department, without even bothering to get licences from the authorities.
Students of different private universities, colleges and English-medium schools, foreigners, private company executives, as well as criminals, are regular clients of these restaurants.
Yaba, whose name means “madness drug”, is a potent mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine, often spiked with traces of heroin. The pill is now the narcotic of choice for addicts, especially those in the age group of 18-30, across Bangladesh. Also, there has been a recent spurt in the use of intoxicants, like opium, heroin, phensidyl and viagra. Well-known drug-peddlers have set up tea-stalls adjacent to a number of the city’s educational institutions, mostly private universities, the sources said. The sources added that small gangs of drug addicts have been committing various crimes, such as snatching, hijacking and robberies in the capital, to get money for their addiction.
According to the sources, a number of people, mostly young, unemployed youths and students, get intoxicated with alcohol. They eventually are sucked into the dark world of crime and commit hijacking, snatching, rape and murder,” the sources added.
So far, law enforcement agencies have filed about 54,000 cases against drug peddlers and users. About 40,000 people involved in the drug trade have been arrested as well. The narcotics department filed about 9,000 cases and arrested 9,300 people last year.
-With The Independent input
